Aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) are well known in aviation. Both manned and unmanned versions of VTOL aircraft fly every day around the world. VTOL aircraft are flown in all facets of aviation, from small hobby aircraft to large personnel carriers. However, traditional VTOL aircraft are extremely complex and have many moving parts, making them dangerous for the general public.
Typically, the most dangerous phases of flight are takeoff and landing. During these phases, VTOL aircraft may be considered more dangerous than traditional aircraft. For example, fixed wing VTOL aircraft must incorporate many moving parts into the propulsion system to adjust the thrust from a direction approximately parallel to the horizon for forward flight, and one that is approximately perpendicular to the horizon for hover and landing. The multitude of moving parts during the transition, as well as close proximity to the ground, make the takeoff and landing phases exceedingly dangerous.
Rotary VTOL aircraft, such as helicopters, quadcopters, and other rotorcraft, may also be considered more dangerous than traditional fixed wing aircraft during takeoff and landing. Though rotary wing aircraft primarily rely on a propulsion system in a fixed orientation providing upward lift, there are still many moving parts in the propulsion system which make these phases of flight dangerous. For example, helicopters, because of the direction of landing, are subject to dangers, such as loss of control due in part to the speed of descent (e.g., settling with power).
Though VTOL aircraft may be more dangerous, they offer unique advantages and considerations as compared to their traditional fixed wing counterpart. For example, VTOL aircraft may take off vertically, without the use of a runway, and may reach speeds equivalent to their fixed wing counterparts. Due to the many advantages of VTOL aircraft, they will continue to be increasingly more popular in aviation.